Analysis: Despite being only one game out, I think the Tigers need to be considered a long shot for the playoffs. Their run differential is very small at just +6 and they don’t deserve a record of 6 games over .500. They should finish with at most 85 wins unless they improve dramatically. The Twins are the only team in this division to be taken seriously this year.

“Nobody is going to change Joe, Joe is going to be the same (bleep) for the rest of his life. That’s what he was when he was a kid and now he’s got (33) years in the big leagues? Shows you how many years he has in the big leagues.

When you get in the big leagues you should be getting better, not worse. I have 25 years in the big leagues. I’m not too far from where he is. That was the case, Joe handled it the wrong way, and he’s always going to do that.”

Joe West deserves a suspension for what he did. He needs a rest. … I tell you what Mark Buehrle is one of … Joe West just wanted to stick it up his behind and he just did. He should be suspended. That is a flat-out, absolute disgrace to the umpiring profession, what this guy has been doing. West doesn’t care. He does not care. He’s an absolute disgrace. He used to be a good umpire. Joe West used to be a good umpire. He has become a disgrace.

Bobby Jenks did his best to blow it [5-1 lead] in the ninth inning, allowing three runs to score and putting two runners on base without recording an out, but then Indians manager Manny Acta went into small-ball mode.Acta ordered a bunt, which a) gave a struggling pitcher his first out, and b) opened up first base so the White Sox could intentionally walk the Indians’ best hitter, Shin-Soo Choo. Jenks then struck out Austin Kearns and got Russell Branyan to fly out, escaping with a 5-4 win.

Guillen was probably sitting in the clubhouse, watching on television and thanking Acta for the help.

“Last year [after Beckham was called up], there was a little stumble. Once you come out of one of these, like he’s coming out of it right now as we speak, then you always have that in your back pocket for the rest of your career. The panic level he experienced this year, next year that won’t be there because he will always know that, ‘Hey, I don’t need to panic here because look at me last year.’ ”

The White Sox selected outfielder Trayce Thompson 61st overall a year ago out of high school. He signed for $625,000 and got roughed up in rookie ball. This wasn’t a shock, he was ‘raw’ when drafted. A year later he is 19 and a member of the Low-A Kannapolis lineup. How is his development coming along? …

I like Gordon Beckham’s professionalism and athletic talent, but don’t like his swing. He has a giant hitch, and his swing is too long. Does he have two strikes against him every time he steps up to the plate until he modifies his mechanics? — Mitch Tobin, Park Ridge

Mitch, I agree with your observation in regards to his swing. One scout who has followed Beckham since the Arizona Fall League in 2008 pointed this out and remained unconvinced of Beckham’s long-term success during his ascent last summer.

I’m not sure he’ll modify his mechanics too much, but pitch selection was a bigger issue that he’s improved on recently.

and

Has Gordon Beckham’s stance been widened (a la Dave Kingman, shudder!) or not? Not that this by itself is his main problem, but it raises the obvious question of WHY? — Southside Cliffy, Chicago

Welcome back, Cliffy. Beckham’s stance was widened to eliminate the unnecessary movement in other areas. By spreading out, it reduced his movements to merely swinging at the ball.

I’ve talked about Rios a lot lately, probably because he’s been one of the few truly pleasant surprises in a rough start to the White Sox’s season. But seriously, ZiPS projects him to finish with 24 homers, 40 doubles, 34 steals and a .371 wOBA, all coming from an above average defender in center field. A lot of people bashed Kenny Williams for claiming Rios from Toronto, but right now that move is one of the few keeping Chicago afloat.

An all but unknown 28th-round pick out of a Florida junior college in 2008, Short’s solid-but-unspectacular showing leading up to this season wasn’t enough to get him on anybody’s radar, but scouts are getting forced to take notice now. The 21-year-old skinny outfielder has above-average speed and little else in the way of tools, but with two hits in all three weekend games, his batting line is up to .372/.396/.531 for the Warthogs. As you can tell by the line, he doesn’t walk much and he’s not a big power guy. He is also not good enough defensively to stay in center field long-term. For now he’s just an interesting hitter, but anything out of the 28th round is an impressive find.

Negotiations are under way to determine which Chicago radio station will air Chicago White Sox games — probably for at least the next five years. The incumbent station, sports-talk WSCR-AM (670) has had the White Sox for the past five years and is interested in keeping them when the current radio broadcast contract expires at the end of 2010 baseball season.

But it looks as if the White Sox and owner Jerry Reinsdorf might want something more than just another five years with an AM radio outlet. “The incumbent certainly has the ability to keep the business, but I don’t know if that will be the case,” said Brooks Boyer, the White Sox marketing honcho who is heading up negotiations. “We are looking at all of our options, and this is far from a handshake deal,” added Boyer. …